Ransomware attacks skyrocketed amid the pandemic when hospitals increased their use of remote work and moved more hospital data online, according to a July 21 report by cybersecurity consulting firm CynergisTek.
Five things to know:
- In 2020, 560 healthcare organizations were victims of ransomware attacks, the report said.
- Ransomware attacks cost healthcare organizations $20.8 billion in downtime in 2020, double the amount it cost in 2019, according to a Comparitech report cited by CynergisTek.
- A separate IBM report found data breaches in the healthcare industry cost an average of $9.23 million.
- The cost of ransomware payments has put a strain on hospital budgets. Nonprofit hospitals and health systems have been especially affected by the costs of relentless cyberattacks.
- "Ransomware pay-outs and efforts to protect or 'harden' healthcare systems and cyber defenses are affecting hospital financial flexibility by increasing on-going operating expenses," Fitch Ratings said July 22. "Attacks may also hinder revenue generation and the ability to recover costs in a timely manner, particularly if they affect a hospital's ability to bill patients when financial records are compromised or systems become locked."